MHProNews has learned from the U.S. Dept. of Urban Development (HUD) that the owner and staff of MHC Heritage Point Mobile Home Park in Montgomery, Alabama have been charged with violating the Fair Housing Act for refusing to rent a home site to an African American family and for following a policy of excluding African Americans. CEO Michael Lawrence of Lawrence at Lakewood, LLC and Lawrence Properties, Inc. allegedly told employees not to rent home sites to any more African Americans, and his employees allegedly refused to process the family’s application, in violation of the Fair Housing Act which prevents discrimination based on race, religion, national origin, sex, disability or familial status. An employee is alleged to have denied their application based on a credit check that was not made, forcing the family to move their manufactured home out of the community. A federal court may award the family damages and attorney fees, impose fines on the MHC owner, and order other injunctive relief to deter future discrimination if the court decides discrimination has occurred. Attempts by MHProNews to reach Mr. Lawrence or his company by phone were unsuccessful.
